Heartleaf philodendron care: watering and light
The heartleaf philodendron has heart-shaped leaves on stems that trail or climb. It’s as easy as pothos and copes with shade even better.
Heartleaf philodendron needs water roughly every 7 days in summer and every 10 in winter (north-facing window, in a 16 cm plastic pot with a drainage hole). Before watering, always check with a finger in the soil: if it’s still damp, wait.
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Philodendron hederaceum
- Also known as
- Philodendron
- Preferred light
- Medium indirect light
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Tolerates drought
- No
- Tolerates shade
- No
- Where it lives
- Indoors
Where to put it
It does well in medium to low indirect light, at a north-facing window or further into a bright room. With more light it grows faster, with bigger leaves. Direct sun scorches it.
It can trail from a shelf or climb a pole; pinching the tips makes it bushier.
How to water
Water when the top few centimetres of soil are dry. The leaves go soft and droopy when it’s thirsty, and recover quickly. Less water in winter.
Common mistakes
Yellow leaves almost always mean overwatering; small leaves on long, bare stems mean too little light. Cut pieces of stem root easily in a glass of water.
How many days between waterings, spot by spot
| Where it lives | In July | In January |
|---|---|---|
| South- or west-facing window | 4 days | 5 days |
| East-facing window | 4 days | 6 days |
| North-facing window | 7 days | 10 days |
| Hallway or corner with no window | 10 days | 14 days |